Charles Malone takes his seat as the chief justice of Alabama on Tuesday at the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building in Montgomery

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Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Malone, who is expected to announce today that he is running for a full term in 2012, will also announce that he will allow local circuit judges to increase the number of jury trials after cutbacks earlier this year because of budget cuts.

Malone said reducing the number of jury trials for civil and criminal cases is leading to a backlog of cases, some people sitting in jail longer and waiting longer for justice, jail overcrowding and other issues.

"If you can't call it for trial, there is no way to move the case," said Malone, who was a circuit judge for 10 ...